100 IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



hen, translating the German name, and shall do 

 so in future. 



The bird, then, is considerably larger than the 

 partridge, and, like the French variety of that bird, 

 has red legs and a red bill. The prevailing colour 

 is, appropriately enough, stone-grey, with bars 

 under the wings something like those of the sand- 

 grouse. The cock bird has a dark back to the 

 head and neck, and this is edged with a ruff-like 

 border of white feathers, which gives the bird a 

 very handsome appearance. My first experience, 

 as already narrated, gives a good idea of the habits 

 of the bird. It retires at daybreak to high craggy 

 peaks or the roughest rocks on the hillside. This 

 habit constitutes at once a double difficulty to the 

 sportsman, i.e. firstly to find it, and secondly how 

 to dislodge it from its stronghold. It is obvious 

 that only the natives' plan can be followed with 

 any success, as in such ground it is impossible to 

 keep a dog in view. Then there is the great 

 difficulty of getting the bird to rise, especially when 

 it has been already disturbed. I know of no bird 

 (except, of course, the quail) that would have sat so 

 close as the one concerning which I have already 

 written. Lastly, there is the difficulty of its being 

 a strong, swift flier, as, indeed, the nature of the 

 ground it inhabits necessitates its being. It is 

 useless to attempt long shots at stone-hens, and a 

 right and left is very rarely successful. 



